"Bitter!" at VDNH: Arkhangelsk couple had a "space" wedding at the RUSSIA EXPO

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On Cosmonautics Day, a couple from the Arkhangelsk region registered their marriage at the International RUSSIA EXPO.

The Space and Aviation Center will remain a special place for a lifetime for two residents of the Pomorie region, because there they said "yes" to each other and became husband and wife. The newlyweds came to the wedding ceremony from Mirny, where they have been living for several years: Alexander Urlapov is a serviceman of the Plesetsk airfield servicing the cosmodrome and is engaged in flight support, and Alyona Kalinina is a history and social studies teacher at the city school No. 4.

As the newlyweds themselves admit, fate brought them together by chance, although Alexander and Alyona had known each other since childhood thanks to their parents - their fathers serve together.

"We hardly knew each other. We met as children, since our parents are friends. Our moms have the same profession - teachers, but we did not think that our acquaintance would grow into something more," shared Alyona Kalinina.

Exactly a year ago, the young people visited Moscow together for the first time, and a year later they found themselves in the capital again, but already as bride and groom. The newlyweds did not initially plan to celebrate a "space" wedding: Alexander and Alyona wanted to register their marriage a little later in their small homeland (both are from the Rostov region), but received an invitation to wed at VDNH.

"We wanted to have a wedding in the summer, and then we were offered to register the marriage in Moscow at the RUSSIA EXPO during the solemn ceremony. We thought about it and agreed, although we are still in shock that this is happening to us," said Alexander Urlapov.

Their parents, who already dream of grandchildren, are no less happy for the newlyweds.

"We did not expect that the organization of the event would be so great. I am very happy for the kids. In general, my Alexander is lucky in many ways, and his bride is no exception. May their life together be the happiest," shared the father of the groom Sergei Urlapov.

The Governor of the Arkhangelsk region Alexander Tsybulsky also congratulated the newlyweds on their wedding day in his social media accounts.

In total, four couples from "space" cities of Russia took part in the unique wedding ceremony "Light of New Stars", which symbolizes the celestial union of newlyweds and symbolically connects them with the space. Warm congratulations were also addressed to them by current members of the cosmonaut squadron of Roscosmos, who are preparing for their first flight.

"Every year on April 12, we celebrate the beginning of a new year in the history of cosmonautics, and now I am sure that it will be successful. I would like to wish our newlyweds that their flight into a joint life will be interesting, beautiful and long," said test cosmonaut Sergei Teteryatnikov.

After the solemn marriage ceremony, the newlyweds were congratulated on the Main Street Stage of VDNH by the cosmonauts who are currently on the ISS. Opera singer Ksenia Dezhnyova also performed before the guests: she sang the song "Into Space", written for the movie "Challenge". To this composition the couples performed their wedding dance.

The newlyweds were also handed over the flame of the all-Russian family hearth "Heart of Russia", which became the main symbol of the year 2024, declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Year of the Family.

Alexander and Alyona's wedding was part of a series of "space" weddings planned in advance as part of the RUSSIA EXPO. But the organizers hope that by the end of the exposition they will be able to marry those who found their match at VDNH.